< Mark 6 >
1 Then He went out from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him.
2 And when the Sabbath came He began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard were astonished, saying: “Where did this man get these things? What wisdom is this that is given to him? Such mighty works are being performed by his hands!
3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? And aren't his sisters here with us?” So they took offense at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, among his relatives, even in his own house.”
5 He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6 And He marveled at their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
7 Then He summoned the twelve and began to send them out, two by two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits as He did so.
8 And He commanded them to take nothing for the road, except just a staff—no knapsack, no bread, no coin in the belt—
9 but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics.
10 And He said to them: “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from that place.
11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.”
12 So they went out and started preaching that people should repent,
13 and they were casting out many demons, and anointing with oil and healing many who were sick.
14 Now King Herod heard of Him, because His name had become well known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and that is why the powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” Still others said, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets.”
16 But when Herod heard, he said: “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!”
17 You see, Herod himself had ordered John arrested, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her
18 —John had kept saying to Herod, “It isn't lawful for you to have your brother's wife.”
19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but she couldn't,
20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a just and holy man. And consulting him he would do many things; indeed, he would hear him with pleasure.
21 Then an opportune day came when on his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his courtiers, the military commanders, and the chief men of Galilee.
22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those reclining with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”
23 He even swore to her, “Whatever you may ask me I will give you, up to half of my kingdom!”
24 So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”
25 Hurrying in directly to the king she requested, saying, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter!”
26 Though the king became very sorry, because of his oaths and of his guests he did not want to refuse her.
27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded the head to be brought. So he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 brought the head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
29 Upon hearing of it, his disciples came, removed the corpse and placed it in a tomb.
30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and reported all to Him, both what they had done and what they had taught.
31 Because so many were coming and going that they did not even have leisure to eat, He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile.”
32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
33 But many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived before them, and came together to Him.
34 Well upon disembarking Jesus saw a large crowd and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.
35 When it was late in the day, His disciples came to Him and said: “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.
36 Send them away so they may go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”
37 But in reply He said to them, “You feed them!” They say to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and feed them?”
38 So He says to them: “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they knew they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39 Then He directed them all to recline in groups on the green grass.
40 So they reclined in ‘plots’ of hundreds and of fifties.
41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples to serve the people; He also divided the two fish among them all.
42 Well they all ate and were filled.
43 And they picked up twelve full baskets of broken pieces; also of the fish.
44 There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.
45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.
46 And after taking leave of them He went up the mountain to pray.
47 Now when evening had passed, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.
48 And He saw them straining at rowing, because the wind was against them. Well about the fourth watch of the night He comes to them walking on the water, and would have passed by them;
49 but they saw Him walking on the water, supposed He was a ghost, and yelled!
50 Because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said: “Have courage! It is I; don't be afraid!”
51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were totally astounded within themselves, and kept marveling.
52 Because they had not understood about the loaves—their hearts had been hardened.
53 After they had crossed over, they came to the land of Genesaret and anchored there.
54 When they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,
55 and running about that whole surrounding region they began to carry about on their pallets those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.
56 Wherever He entered—into villages, towns, or countryside—they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and they would beg Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment; and all who touched Him were healed.
